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***********NEW REACH GOAL $45,000**********

Wow, thank you so much for all your support! We've reached our
initial goal, but we’re not done yet!
The more money we raise the better movie we can make, the more people
that will see the film, and the more people we can inspire to grow food no matter where they live.

To be honest, our budget for post-production is a lot more than $35K…as you
all know this was all-or-nothing so we didn’t want to set our goal too
high. Thanks for your continued
support!

Oh, and hey! If you think we're sweet, VOTE for us now on indieWIRE project of the week..we could win fame, glory, and a free distribution consultation!

GROWING CITIES is a feature-length documentary that examines
the role of urban farming in America
and asks how much power it has to revitalize our cities and change the way we
eat.The film follows two friends on their journey across the
country as they meet the men and women who are challenging the way this country
grows and distributes its food, one
vacant city lot, rooftop garden, and backyard chicken coop at a time.

Along the way they learn that this
grassroots movement takes many forms – from those growing food in their
backyards to activists seeking a meaningful alternative to the industrial food
system, and more. At
its core, the film asks people to re-imagine what’s possible in urban settings
and consider creating GROWING CITIES of their own—places
that are healthier, more sustainable, and socially just

WHAT WE’RE DOING:

We
need to raise at least $35,000 by
May 12th to prepare for
an early 2013 release.

WHY WE NEED YOUR MONEY:

We
have gathered over 140 hours of incredible footage from 80+ urban farms across
America but we need your help to tell these farmers' stories. We need funds to help cover the costs
of finishing the film – including hiring an editor, covering licensing fees, plus paying for graphics, music, and other elements of post-production.

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY
TO SUPPORT GROWING CITIES:

·
Make a pledge. Right now. On
Kickstarter. You get sweet prizes
AND a chance to support a great cause.
Your support, no matter how small (or large) makes a BIG difference to
us. Please check out the
donation tiers on the right to find the level and prize that’s right
for you.

· Please spread the word! Tell your friends, your family, your social networks. Without grassroots support our film will not be possible. So send the URL of this page
with a heartfelt endorsement to everyone you know and encourage folks to donate. You can also share this link on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, by email, or via blog post.

·
If you have other ideas for how we can raise funds please contact us! We’re happy to do interviews, write
blogs, sell our kidneys, etc.

PARTNERS,
COLLABORATORS, & SUPPORTERS:

We’re eternally grateful to everyone has supported us thus
far including Dartmouth
College, Whole Foods, the REAP Fund, Good Food Media Group and countless individuals, friends, and farmers along the
way.

We’re also thrilled to be able to feature music from Conor Oberst and Bright Eyes, fresh from our hometown of Omaha, NE.

HOW KICKSTARTER WORKS:

Kickstarter
is an online funding platform for creative projects driven by an
all-or-nothing approach. If we don’t
raise our goal of $35,000, we lose everything and no money changes hands. If
we do reach our goal, the film will come out in early 2013.
Our campaign lasts only 30 days and that month will go fast. If you can, please pledge
now because it will help build crucial momentum.

During
our campaign and beyond we will keep you updated on the progress of the film
and welcome all feedback and comments.

COLOR POSTER

B&W POSTER

NEW MOVIE POSTER

BUTTONS

100% ORGANIC COTTON T-SHIRT

FAQ

Pledging is easy and can be done from anywhere in the world: Simplyclick the green “Back This Project” button in the upper right-handcorner. You will be asked to input your pledge amount and select a reward. From there, you will go through the Amazon checkout process.

After the 5% Kickstarter fee and a 3-5% Amazon credit cardprocessing fee, all funds raised will be used directly for thecompletion and marketing of the film, including:
- Editing to get the film ready for film festivals, educational tour, TV broadcast, and distribution- Paying licensing fees for music and archival footage

- Creating graphics and animation for the film

- Paying for legal and professional fees- Building a more comprehensive & interactive website

YES, and we need to! $35,000 is our primary goal. Going forward we’ll need much more than that to cover distribution and marketing expenses. Kickstarter will allow you to donate as much money as you want/can before the deadline. All of it will go into the film — footage licensing, marketing, promotion, screenings etc. — everything to move the film forward and give it the widest possible audience. Film is still an incredibly expensive medium. Every dollar helps. If all goes well there’s no reason we can’t raise two or three times our primary goal.

YES! Once you donate to our campaign, you absolutely can increase yourpledge amount or change your incentive. To do so, sign in toKickstarter. Go to our campaign page and click the blue “Manage YourDonation” button. There, you can enter a new amount, and choose a new incentive.

Kickstarter is a website designed to help raise financing for creativeprojects and employs a unique all-or-nothing fundraising method whereprojects must be fully-funded or no money changes hands. For moreinfo, click here: http://www.kickstarter.com/help

We traveled 13,000 miles across the USA during the summer of 2011 stopping to film in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Denver, Omaha, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Atlanta, Birmingham, New Orleans, Austin, and lots of places in between!

If you are interested in donating a larger amount (over $5,000) you can make a tax-deductible contribution through our fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas. We would sincerely appreciate this type of support and wish we could extend this tax-deductible benefit to everyone. Unfortunately, Fractured Atlas also charges a 6% fee on donations so if all donations were tax deductible over 15% of all money pledged would never get to us, the filmmakers (5% to Kickstarter + 5% to Amazon + 6% to Fractured Atlas).

For your pledge you will get unique rewards such as original artwork,limited edition pre-release DVDs, signed movie posters, urban farm photobooks, cool farm experiences, tickets to the world premiere, and much more! Please check out all rewards on the right side of this screen.

Wow, you have a lot of questions! And that one is TBD. It stinks to say that, but that’s just how independent filmmaking works. Here’s how it goes: We submit to film festivals for 2013 but won’t know for a while which festival will choose GROWING CITIES for itspremiere. As it stands, a film screening tour should follow in Spring or Summer of2013, with DVD to follow. Rest assured, the film will be released, and we will make sure you know about it!

Once our goal is funded, we will begin manufacturing and shipping incentives. You will get a message from us requesting the details we need to complete your order, such as address, etc. Please reply to us ASAP so we can get your stuff to you!

Filmmakers Dan Susman and Andrew Monbouquette grew up with one another in Omaha, Nebraska, the city that inspired their decision to take their trip across country. Though their hometown is surrounded by some of the country’s most fertile farmland, only fraction of a percent of that land is used to grow fresh produce. The rest goes toward producing corn and soy, key ingredients in the highly processed foods that are making people sicker every day. Omaha, as with so many other cities across America, has loads of fast food restaurants and very few places that offer good, fresh, and healthy food. They are making this film to inspire and engage people across the country to re-imagine how food can be grown and distributed in their community.

Dan Susman (Director/Producer)

Dan’s passion for city farming originated while working on an urban farm in Portland, OR. Ever since he left he has been dreaming of how to bring it back to his community and to people across the nation. One short documentary he made, LANDMARK, examined the social and political issues around developing a piece of land in his community. For this work he received the outstanding film student award from the Dartmouth Film Department.

Prior to filmmaking, Dan worked as the Director of the Dartmouth Orientation Trips program, where he was responsible for the safety of over 1,100 incoming students, and a budget of over $150,000. He was also featured in The Progressive magazine by writer Terry Tempest Williams for his environmental activism. He graduated from Dartmouth with a degree in Ecology and Environmental Studies.

Andrew Monbouquette (Cinematographer/Co-producer)

Andrew earned his degree in Rhetoric & Media studies from Willamette University, where the motto was “Not unto ourselves alone are we born.” Most of his coursework focused on texts and films giving voices to oppressed people and marginalized groups. For him, making this film is about serving his fellow Americans by helping ensure that everyone has access to fresh, healthy food. In addition to being a lifelong cinephile, Andrew has worked on several short films throughout college and before.

Brent Lubbert (Production Manager)

After returning to Omaha from studying film in San Francisco, Brent wanted to apply what he learned to benefit his hometown. He hopes that this film will inspire Omahans to get connected with their land and food. Brent has been a part of the Omaha film community through his work on short films, radio documentaries, and interning at Omaha’s non-profit independent cinema, Film Streams. He currently is part of the Big Muddy Urban Farm collective in Omaha, NE.

Kathleen Franco (Outreach)

Kathleen is finishing up her undergraduate career at Creighton University, where she's been studying Photojournalism and Theatre. She's always been curious about documentary filmmaking and quite serendipitously stumbled upon Growing Cities. She is excited to be able to help spread the word about sustainable farming and healthy eating.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $49 or more
About $49

ORGANIC COTTON T-SHIRT. Hot off the presses, this hand screen printed, 100% organic cotton t-shirt is the way you can show off Growing Cities around town PLUS we'll throw in button and digital download.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $50 or more
About $50

FARM EXPERIENCE COMPASS GREEN. Check out the coolest traveling garden project around, Compass Green Mobile Greenhouse. Your pledge gets you into a workshop with these guys when they come to your town PLUS a digital download of our film!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $50 or more
About $50

FARM EXPERIENCE CHICAGO. You get to harvest and hang out with City Farm! Start out harvesting some veggies at the farm and then go out for a drink and appetizers with some of the farmers...PLUS we'll throw in a digital download of the film! Can't really beat harvesting fresh veggies with a view of the Sears Tower...

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $50 or more
About $50

FARM EXPERIENCE OAKLAND. Visit the Institute of Urban Homesteading's home-scale demonstration farm. See rabbits, quail, bees, greywater, fruit trees, mushroom beds, bathtub bogs and over 200 species of diverse food, forage and medicinal plants, all on a 1/10th of an acre...PLUS we'll throw in a digital download of the film!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $75 or more
About $75

URBAN FARMER READER PACK II You get a brand new, hot off the presses and signed copy of "Change Comes to Dinner" by Katherine Gustafson. Like our film, this book profiles folks who are pushing our country towards a better food future PLUS our favorite seeds & signed DVD.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $100 or more
About $100

FARM EXPERIENCE OMAHA. Hang out with the newest & coolest urban farmers in town, Big Muddy Urban Farm!! You get to help out a morning on the farm harvesting, tending chickens, or just playing in the dirt! Enjoy the spoils of your labor with a farm-fresh lunch w/some of the farmers afterwards PLUS get a signed DVD!!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $100 or more
About $100

NEW MOVIE POSTER. For those who prefer something simpler (but still awesome) you'll get the actual poster which will appear in theaters! PLUS we'll throw in shout out, buttons, & signed DVD. Note, this is 'Rebecca Harrison' poster to your left.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $125 or more
About $125

TRUCK FARM OMAHA.TFO will visit a school or youth group of your choice! Kids get to taste fresh veggies and learn about growing food all from the back of a pick-up. Details: 1 hour visit, less than 25 participants, only available in Omaha Metro area.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $150 or more
About $150

FARM EXPERIENCE NYC. Get your very own tour (for two) of Brooklyn Grange rooftop farm with one of the farmers!!! Get a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline, meet rooftop chickens, bees, and, of course, taste some veggies!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $150 or more
About $150

FARM EXPERIENCE AUSTIN. Mimosa morning farm tour at Hausbar Farm!! This private tour for two will include a stroll in the garden, meeting the bunnies, a tour of the hen house, and meeting the miniature donkey!!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $225 or more
About $225

FARM EXPERIENCE SEATTLE. Learn how to milk a backyard goat, make the milk into mozzarella cheese, and we'll even throw in learning the goat milking secret handshake!! Instruction (and goats) will be provided by the wonderful Jennie Grant, whose book "City Goats, the Goat Justice League guide to raising goats in the city" will be coming out this fall!!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,500 or more
About $1,500

ORIGINAL PAINTING: In addition to EXECUTIVE PRODUCER credits & DVD, you'll receive Alex Southworth's beautiful full color original painting, "Growing Cities." You don't want to miss out on this one of a kind piece of art!!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $2,500 or more
About $2,500

COMMUNITY SCREENING. Wow, thanks! If any individual, community group, or non-profit organization pledges this amount we will come to you, screen the film, and give a presentation about urban agriculture...PLUS prizes above (non-farm experiences)